Spanish - Words

Give it to me

In English: it first, to me second, e.g. "Give it to me."

In Spanish: the other way around: me, te, nos come first, and lo, la, los, las after.

Necesito el dibujo pero no me lo trajiste.
(I need the drawing, but you didn't bring it to me.)

Compramos una cometa y te la vamos a enviar.
(We bought a kite, and we are going to send it to you.)

Pedir

• to order food
• to ask for:

¿Vas a pedir más dinero?
(Are you going to ask for more money?)

Ver

Ver means to see, but verse means to look.

Nosotros queremos vernos elegantes.
(We want to look elegant.)

Tú te ves mal hoy.
(You look bad today.)

Haber

• hay: there is / there are (does not change form)
• había: there was / there were
• habrá: there will be.
• va a haber: there is or are going to be.

llevar

wear:

Llevo puesto un sombrero.
(I'm wearing a hat.)

to carry:

Llevo** las bolsas a la cocina.
(I take the bgas to the kitchen.)

when you are talking about shopping, the expression ¡Me lo llevo! means I'll take it!

Esta camisa me gusta y me la llevo.
(I like this shirt and I'll take it.)

Get along with someone:

¿Tú te llevas bien con tus padres?
(Do you get along with your parents?)

Vaya

Use vaya to give instructions in polite situations.

Vaya derecho y llegará a la librería.
(Go straight and you will arrive at the bookstore.)

Vaya can also be used to express surprise:

¡Vaya, qué bello!
(Wow, how beautiful!)

Seguro

• after ser: safe
• after estar: sure

E.g.

Esta casa es muy segura.
(This house is very safe.)

Estoy seguro de que aquí se venden zapatos.
(I'm sure that shoes are sold here.)

Doler (to hurt)

Works just like gustar.

A mí me duele la espalda.
(My back hurts.)

Me duelen los pies.
(My feed hurt.)

que

In english "that" is optional: I know that it's true = I know it's true.

In Spanish you always need to include que after verbs like decir or saber.

Ella dice que es verdad.
(She says that it is true.)

más

• more
• anymore:

No tuvimos que viajar más.
(We didn't have to travel anymore.)

Tener

• tener hambre: to be hungry.
• tener prisa: to be in a hurry.

Gustar / Encantar / Interesar

In English: "I like the cat."

In Spanish: "The cat is pleasing to me."

• Me gusta este gato.
• Me gustan estos gatos.
• Me gustaba / gustaban (I used to like ...)
• Me gustaron ... (I liked [multiple things])
• A mí me gusta la música.

nos / le:

• nos gusta (we like)
• le gusta (she likes)
• les gusta (they like)
• Add name: A Miguel le gusta viajar.

You can add a mí and a ti at the begning, but it is optional.

A ti no te gustaron ...

Similarly, use encantó and encantaron to say "I loved ..."

Interesar follows the same pattern as gustar and encantar.

Fue

fue can be

• past form of ir
• past form of ser

algún, algo, alguien

• algún / alguna: some, any. Always before a noun.
• algo: something, anything
• alguien: someone, anyone

Phrases

China town: barrio chino

mañana

• tomorrow
• morning

mañana por la mañana = tomorrow morning

nota

• note
• school grade: ¿Qué nota recibiste en tu examen? (What grade did you receive in your exam?)

Tengo

• "to be": Tengo frío / calor / hambre / miedo.
• tengo puesto: I have on
• tengo ganas: I feel like

Nada, nunca, ninguno, nadie

When nada and nunca come after the verb, you also need to use no:

No tengo nada que decir.
(I have nothing to say.)

If you use nunca before the verb, you do not need to add no:

Rodrigo nunca me escucha.
(Rodrigo never listens to me.)

When ninguo, ninguna, ningunos, ningunas, nadie come after a verb, you need to include no. If they are before the verb, no need to add that no.

buen and mal

Can be before or after the noun. If before the noun: drop the -o, e.g. un buen vino.

Phrases

• Da Cuesta de que / Nos dimos cuenta de: realize
• Se puso de pie: stand up